State Resists Adding Political Parties to November Ballot

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The state elections director says Green Party candidates in Tennessee will not be listed on the agency's website until Aug. 30.

Mark Goins tells the Tennessean that's the deadline for the state to publish an official list of candidates running in November's general election.

The issue of how third parties should be listed on Tennessee ballots has been working its way through the courts now for more than five years. A federal judge recently ruled that candidates are entitled to be identified by party affiliation on ballots instead of being listed only as independent candidates.

State officials appealed the ruling, but the appellate court hasn't issued a decision on the matter.

Green Party Tennessee Co-chair Katy Culver says not having your name and party published makes it difficult to campaign on an equal footing.

“It does make it difficult because they’re not being invited to those forums that other candidates get invited to because they’re not listed. But we can still go out and campaign and talk about the issues.”

The Green Party is fielding about a dozen candidates for state and local offices across Tennessee.